Improvement in devices for retaining fire in stoves



Ep'v. RnB-BINS.

Devices for Retaining Fire in Stoves.

Patented Nov.4,1873

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TATES IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FR RETAINING FIRE IN STOVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,357, dated November4,187.3; application filed September 18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Y. RonBINs, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county,Ohio, have invented a new and useful Device for Retaining Fire inCooking Ranges and Stoves, of which the following is a speciiication:

The object of this invention is to provide stoves andcoolringranges withan appliance for insuring a slow and gradual combustion of fuel duringthe night, or at any other time, so

' as to economize heat and fuel, and to avoid the necessity of kindlingthe fire every morning; and consists of a slab of non-conductingmaterial, which may be composed of one or more pieces strengthened byarod running lengthwise of the slab. When not in use the slab rests uponthe top plate of the oven, and when itis to be used it is merely pulledforward onto the surface cf the fire by any suitable means. The tile, inthe most approved form, not being iiXed rigidly to either the stove orgrate, is at liberty to descend as the fuelis consiuned, and, as itrests upon the upper surface of the coals, very little air can enterdirectly beneath it, and consequently combustion is slow and gradual,while the heat is prevented from radiating upward and being dissipatedand lost. This slow combustion continues as long as the tile restsupon'the fuel; but as soon as it is removed therefrom, so as to allow afree access of air to the coals, active combustion immediately ensueswithout the necessity of kindling the re in the usual manner 5 also, theheat which has accu- `.mulated immediately beneath the tile, byV reasonof its non-conducting qualities, is at once brought into use. I n stovesor ranges designed `for burning soft coals, it may be found advisa-` blenot to allow the tile or cover to descend into the fire-pot; and it mayaccordingly be arrested at a horizontal position by sliding or restingon the lining of the fuel-chamber, or 011 flanges, lugs, or other-stopsprojecting into the same. The tile, whether arranged to deor turning itupon hinges or pivots. There must also, `in connection with thisimprovement, be the usual provision for Ashutting out all access of airfrom below to the fire-chamber when the tile is on the re.

Figure l is a perspective view, showing my tile or slat applied to acooking-stove, the topplate of the latter being removed. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the {ire-box of the stove, with the tile shown'resting upon the fuel. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing amodification of the devices for shifting the tile. Figa is a verticalsection through the fire-pot of the stove, showing the position theaforesaid shifting devices assume when the tile rests upon the fuel.Fig. 5 is a plan showing another form of shifting devices, and Fig. 6represents a method of hinging the tile or slab to the stove.

A represents .a cooking-stove,A of any approved form, having thecustomary re .pot or chamber B, communicating with which is thecustomary flue C between the top -plate a of the stove and the upperplate D of the oven. The fire-pot may be surrounded with the usuallinings E of non-conducting materials. F is the grate, and b the doorthrough which fuel is introduced ,into the re box. `Gr is my movabletile cover, which consists of arslab, or slabs of iire-clay, soap-stone,or other suitable refractory and non conducting material. This slab orplate may be. composed of several separate pieces, as shown in Fig. l,or it may be formed of a single piece, as represented in Figs. 3 and 5;but in either case it is desired to bind it together, and to protect theedges thereof by a metallic frame, g, which may wholly or partiallysurround it. The nonconducting slab or cover may be traversed lon-rgitudinally by a rod, H, which not only unites the tile when lit iscomposed of several pieces, but said rod may also afford a means ofattaching any suitable handle or shifting instrumentality to the cover.The most simple method of shifting the tile, and the4 one thatinterferes the least with the interior arrangement of the stove, isrepresentedv in Figs. l and 2; and it will be seen, by referring tothese illustrations, that the slab is provided with an eye, J, withwhich the hooked end i of a poker, I, is capable of being engaged. Thispoker is inserted through the door b of the stove or range, or

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through one of the top lid-holes. The cover, when not in use, rests uponthe top plate D of the oven, which plate is provided with flanges, lugs,or other stops d, that prevent the tile being shoved back too far withinthe ue C.- The eye J is attached to the tile by having the rod or bar Hpassed through a perforation in its lower end, as seen in Fig. 2. Theform of this eye may be such as to it it to receive the point of thelidlifter. This eye may, however, be dispensed with, and the tile beshifted by rods K K', whose inner ends are pivoted to the extremities ofthe bar H. The outer or exposed ends of these rods are curved upwardlyat 7c k', and are united by a bar or rail, L, which rail may be composedof wood, if desired, and may do duty as a rack for drying clothes. Therods K K project through apertures a a in the front plate of the stoveor range. The lining of the fire-pot may be slotted in the rear of theseapertures, as shown at M, so as to allow considerable vertical. play forthe rods K K', according as the tile is elevated or depressed.

'These forwardly-projecting and up-turned bars may be dispensed with,and rearwardlypro- Ijecting ones, N N', may be substituted for them, asseen in Fig. 5. These bars are carried through openingsin the back plateof the stove, and have their rear ends united by a rod, n.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 6, in which the tile isrepresented hinged to the stove at O, supported upon the linings of thefire-pot, and capable of being turned over to the horizontal positionshown by dotted lines when not by use, and may be provided with ahandle, O, for its convenient manipulation.

The device may be further modified by suspending the tile from one endof a chain or wire rope, which, after passing over a sheave, should havea counter-balance applied to its outer end. This arrangement will beespecially applicable to heating-stoves, as it will allow the tile todescend bodily into the iirepot and to be lifted clear of the lining ofthe same in the most expeditious manner, and without danger of burningthe attendant or scattering soot and ashes over the floor.

When not in use, the tile Gr is shifted back upon the plate D as far asthe stops d will allow it to go, and in this position it serves toprevent the intense heating of said plate, and thereby diminishes thechances of burning articles that are placed in the upper part of theoven. But, while preventing over-heating of the upper part of the oven,the tile does not interfere in the least with the baking or cookingqualities of the other parts of the stove vor range, but rather aids thesame, by conserving the heat and distributing it to the cooler parts.

During the night, or whenever it is desired to discontinue the use ofthe stove, the attendant has simply to engage the hook t' of the poker Iwith the eye J, and then draw the tile forward and allow it to rest uponthe upper surface of the re; after which the poker is withdrawn, thedoors b b closed, and no air allowed to enter beneath the grate.

The weight of the tile has a tendency to compact the fuel together, and,resting as closely upon the coal as it does, the air is exeluded to agreat extent, and combustion is nearly suppressed and confined withinthe chamber B, while the heat is also shut down and prevented fromradiating away from the top of the iire. It will be seen that, in this(the preferred) form of my invention, as the fuel is consumed andgradually settles down toward theI grate F, the slab G follows it, andpermits only a slow combustion to take place.

In the morning, or at anyother time when it is desired to start up thefire, the door b is again opened, the hook fi reinserted in the stapleor eye J, and the tile is elevated from its depressed position andforced back upon the oven-plate. The fuel being thus relieved of theweight ofthe tile, and air being allowed to enter chamber B, the resultis that the coals instantly ignite and burn briskly without the aid ofkindling. If the re-pot B should be too full when the slab is appliedtothe fuel, the front edge of said tile can be elevated, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 2, and then allowed to descend gradually, andaccommodate itself to the upper surface of the coal.

The tile can be shifted and handled as readily by the bars L or n aswith the poker I, and whichever of these devices is employed, there willbe no necessity for detaching any portion of the stove; but in case thehinged tile is used, as shown in Fig. 6, both of the front lids and alsothe short center 7 must be removed before it can be turned up to thehorizontal inverted position indicated by dotted lines. When brought tothis horizontal position, the tile will answer admirably for a hot shelffor placing articles upon that are to be kept warm.

In the drawing my removable tile is shown as applied to a cook-stove,which is the situation where it will' be most useful; but it is evidentthat, by being properly modified, it can be fitted to heating stoves andranges.

I claim as my invention- The nre-cover G, composed of a piece or piecesof non-conducting material, strengthened by the rod H, and provided withthe metallic frame g and eye J, said cover being adapted to rest on thesurface of the fire, in combination with the oven-plate D of a cook ingrange or stove, all as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD Y. ROBBINS. Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, S. B. SPEAK.

